Singer/Music
Toby Chernesky is an energetic, engaging artist with a diverse range of vocal styles. Known for his falsetto and versatility, Toby performs genres from disco and pop, to jazz and funk, to musical theater and classical. Raised in Flemington, New Jersey, Toby began singing professionally at 16 at local restaurants and events, progressing to producing and headlining concerts and festivals in the New York Tri-State area. Toby celebrates his authentic queerness and prioritizes it in his music. Inspired by such artists as Frank Sinatra and Donna Summer, and the music of everyone from Stephen Sondheim to Steven Universe, Toby fuses the music that inspires him to be himself with contemporary sounds and styles.
A funky falsetto sure to have you movin’ and groovin’!
While I love a little bit of everything, my specialties lie in disco, funk, and jazz. I pull from my drag and theater background to create immersive performances that invite the audience to sing and dance along. My songwriting is often inspired by the music in video games I grew up playing, such as Pokémon and The Legend of Zelda, and my work typically features a catchy hook you’ll soon find yourself humming!
I’ve headlined at a variety of festivals, from Pupstock to 2025’s “Pink Pony Club: A Celebration of Chappell Roan” at the House of Independents in Asbury Park, New Jersey, and most notably New Hope Celebrate’s PrideFest 2022, 2023, and 2025, alongside local drag artists and celebrated musicians. Recently, I’ve performed at such NYC venues as The Delancey and Nublu, often collaborating with songwriter/arranger Dewey Huang. In high school, I collaborated with Love Flemington, my hometown’s Business Improvement District, to create lineups for county festivals I headlined, some of which draw thousands of attendees, such as the Corn, Tomato, and Beer Festival (at which I performed in 2021, 2022, and 2023).
Collaboration/Recording:
I love working with songwriters, and am currently recording originals to release in the near future! Some of my favorite collaborations through NYU have been with Dewey Huang, Ennis Tran, and Kitty Richardson.
My Genres
I attribute my love of disco to watching Drag Race lip syncs as a kid, and later deep-diving into artists I admire, including Donna Summer, The Pointer Sisters, Chaka Khan, Sylvester, and so many more! I love feel-good music that makes you forget your troubles, some drama, and a juicy synth.
My career began at 16, when, searching for performance opportunities during COVID, I started singing outdoors and producing shows at a local pizzeria. During this time, I fell in love with such artists as Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin, and Judy Garland, and practiced my skills in performing jazz tunes and standards. Throughout high school, most of my work came from three-hour sets for tips at restaurants!
As I’ve progressed, funk has become my favorite genre to perform. It feels like a blend of the genres I love best! Funk arrangements manifest in super unique and creative ways, which tends to inspire and allow for a lot of play in the way I perform.
